When it comes to crafting your resume, the skills section is non-negotiable. Especially if you’re aiming for a promotion, shifting careers, or transitioning into a new industry, skills are crucial. They often hold more weight than just listing your education and experience alone.
According to Rohan Rajiv, LinkedIn’s product lead on jobseeker, employer brand, and skills for LinkedIn Talent Solutions, “Over 40% of companies on LinkedIn globally explicitly rely on skills to search and identify job candidates on LinkedIn (up 20% year-over-year).” Rajiv highlights that “showcasing your skills can give you a leg up in your job search,” whether you’re entering the workforce for the first time or re-entering after a hiatus.
Even with extensive experience, you might miss out on career opportunities if you don’t highlight the skills you’ve gained. Failing to mention them can lead to those skills going unnoticed.
What Skills Should You Include On Your Resume?
So, which skills should you feature on your resume and LinkedIn profile? First, let’s clarify the types of skills to include:
Skills can be broadly categorized into two core groups: soft skills (recently referred to as power skills) and hard skills (also known as technical skills). These categories can be further divided into job-specific skills, interpersonal skills, high-income skills, and transferable skills.
Why Interpersonal Skills Are Crucial For Your Resume
Interpersonal skills, a subset of soft skills, are essential for effective collaboration and communication in the workplace. Regardless of your job’s technical demands, interpersonal skills are crucial. This is because there is a 99% chance you’ll interact with people in your role, even in a highly autonomous position.
Whether you’re working with colleagues, building partnerships, making sales, sharing ideas in meetings, or communicating with stakeholders, interpersonal skills are foundational. They ensure smooth communication, reduce misunderstandings, and foster lasting professional relationships.
Smart hiring managers recognize the value of interpersonal skills by evaluating a candidate’s resume, LinkedIn profile, interview responses, and overall engagement during the recruitment process. This is particularly important for remote jobs, where strong interpersonal skills are essential for effective online communication.
10 Interpersonal Skills To Feature On Your Resume In 2024
Here are ten essential interpersonal skills to include on your resume, LinkedIn profile, and job applications. These insights are based on recent reports, surveys, and data from LinkedIn, the World Economic Forum, and Coursera:
- Communication skills
- Empathy
- Emotional intelligence
- Leadership skills
- Conflict resolution
- Problem-solving
- Active listening
- Negotiation
- Networking skills
- Teamwork
When listing these skills, provide context to illustrate how you have applied them in previous roles. Demonstrating real-world experience with these skills is a powerful asset when applying for jobs and enhancing your LinkedIn profile.
